A Strange Encounter
by AppleBagleUnicorn
Summary: A young girl who ran away from home meets a strange man one day. The man gives her the hope she's always needed.


There once lived a girl, not much older than five or six, who ran away from home. She was different and feared her family's judgment because of it. She lived on the streets for what felt like weeks but what was in reality days. She spent most of her time running and fighting monsters that came after her. Most of the time she was scared, but was more afraid to show her fear than she was to let it out. But it was one day when a strange monster came after her that changed everything.

She ran through the city. It was raining and there were puddles everywhere. She clung to a small butter knife, her only weapon. She ran to the end of the city over to the abandoned rail road tracks. She followed them for a bit until she came upon and old abandoned workshop.

The girl ran into the building and quickly wandered around until she found what she believed to be a sufficient hiding spot. She crawled into a tiny space and held her breath hoping that the monster wouldn't find her. As she sat scrunched up in her hiding spot, she heard a grinding sound, similar to the sound of engines. Her heartbeat quickened, thinking that it was the monster starting up one of the machines in the old workshop.

She heard slow footsteps approach her hiding spot and her heart practically rammed into her throat. She nearly let out a scream when a hand touched her shoulder. Another hand went over her mouth to keep her quiet and a soft, reassuring voice whispered, "It's ok, don't be frightened."

She found herself becoming calmer. The hand was slowly released from her mouth and she turned her head to get a look at who it belonged to.

Crouching behind her was a man dressed rather strangely. It was too dark to make out facial features but from what she could see, he had a young face but old eyes. Just as she was about to open her mouth and say something to him, he stood up and held out a hand to her.

"Come on now, there's a monster that need's stopping. I'm called the Doctor, by the way. You can call me Doctor."

The girl sat wide eyed unsure of what to do about this strange man. She crouch further back into her little cubbyhole.

The Doctor noticed this and said, "No need to be scared, there's nothing to be scared of. You see, I fight monsters, and I happen to know how to defeat this monster, but the thing is…I need a little help. Do you think you could help me?"

Her voice was small and came out barely a whisper when she asked, "You want me to help?"

"Of course I do," he said. "Because you see, it just so happens that I'm in need of a little help from a girl about your size and age. And do you know why?" he paused to let the girl respond and she promptly shook her head no. "I'll tell you why," he continued, "it's because this monster, this particular monster, is quite afraid of little girls just like yourself."

"How do you know this?" she asked him.

"Because, like I said, I fight monsters. So, are you in? "

The girl looked down for a minute then back up at the Doctor. She nodded once and allowed the Doctor to help her up.

Together they defeated the monster working together like they had been doing it for ages. When the monster was finally gone, the Doctor led the girl to the top floor of the building where they sat and dangled their feet off the edge.

They sat quietly for a little before the Doctor asked the young girl a question. "So, what is a little girl like yourself doing out here on your own. Have your parents lost you?"

The girl shook her head no.

"What is it then?"

She took a minute before answering. "I ran away."

"Why? Life couldn't have been that bad…"

She shrugged her shoulders, "I'm different. And different isn't good."

"Now, whoever told you that? Different is great! Different is brilliant! Why, I would take being different over being ordinary any day."

She looked over at him, "You're strange. And you must have heard wrong, because back home, different is bad."

The Doctor smiled, "Oh you little humans. Such a strange lookout on life. A small girl runs away from home in fear of being judged. Now tell me, was it worth it? Is it better out here than it was back home, where it was safe."

"What gives you the idea that home was safe?"

"I would have assumed that a young girl, like you, would have a safe home."

"Home has never really been safe. It's no better out here than it was back there. The monsters still follow me. It doesn't matter where I go, they always follow me."

The Doctor looked down at his hands for a second and then looked back over to the girl. "Why? Why do they follow you?" he asked to himself as he reached into his jacket pocket pulling out some strange device. He pointed it at the girl, "What makes you so special?"

"Doctor, what are you doing? What is that thing, it looks like some sort of screwdriver…"

He finished scanning her and placed the device back into his pocket, "It is a screwdriver, a sonic screwdriver. And I was seeing what made you so special."

"Did you figure it out?" she asked.

"Nope," he said, popping the p. "You're a mystery to me. Speaking of mysteries, you're what, five or six. How is it that you have such good speech?"

She thought about the question for a minute. "I like to read, maybe that the reason I talk so well?"

"Read? Reading is good. Books are some of the greatest weapons ever. What do you read?"

She smiled, "Oh, I've read all sorts of things…I've practically read the whole public library. My favorite was the one about the mockingbirds."

"Mockingbirds, huh. Do you remember the title?"

"_To Kill a Mockingbird_, I think it was called."

"Ah, brilliant book. Absolutely brilliant. I loved it."

"I've also read some Charles Dickens. Those where good too."

He nodded and then looked over at the girl. His face looked as if he forgot something. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," he muttered to himself.

"Stupid…what's stupid?"

"I'm stupid."

"And why is that?"

"Because I have yet to ask you the most important question ever."

"And what might that be?" she asked the Doctor.

"I forgot to ask you your name."

"Oh," she said, seeming a bit disappointed.

"Yes, your name. See a name tells a lot about a person. And I absolutely would like to know yours."

She mumbled her name to the Doctor. His face gave off a look of recognition, like he knew the name. He had a sadness in his eyes.

"What is it?" the girl asked. "Why do you look sad?"

The Doctor waited a moment before responding, considering what e should say. "You name is much like one of my very good friends. A friend that I have recently lost."

The girl was silent; she knew what it was like to lose a friend. She had lost a friend herself once. She felt the need to break the silence and bring the Doctor out of his trance.

"This friend of yours, they sound amazing. I wish I could be like them."

He looked over at here. "Now don't you dare every say something like that ever again. You are amazing. You're brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. You're stronger than you might think and you are braver than you will ever know."

"Isn't that similar to what Christopher Robin said to Pooh?" she asked as a small smile appeared on her face.

"It just might be. A. A. Milne was a wonderful writer and a fantastic person."

The Doctor looked down at his wrist. "It time for me to go now. But before I go, I need to tell you something. One day, you'll meet me again. Only I won't look exactly as I do now. I'll be younger, and I won't know who you are. But don't worry, because that won't stop us from becoming great friends. And when you do meet me again, be prepared for the adventure of a lifetime. One where we'll see the stars together and fight monsters similar to the one we fought tonight. You and me, we'll be an amazing team, an unstoppable team. And you, well, you'll be one of the most important people ever in the universe. So remember, when you feeling sad, or alone, know that the future holds great things for you, and that together we'll save the universe."

As he was about to leave, the Doctor pulled a journal out of his pocket. He held it out to the girl. "This is for you. Keep it with you at all times. You can write whatever you want in it, but I want you to make sure that you write down each and every adventure that you go on. Because one day, it might get hard to tell one adventure from the next and you'll need something to keep everything straight."

The Doctor shook his head once and the girl asked him, "What is it?"

"I've always wondered how you got this book. And now I'm realizing that I was the one to give it to you."

She smiled. "When will I see you again?"

"Soon," he said. "Very soon."

And with that the Doctor bounded down the stairs and disappeared from sight. Shortly after, the girl heard the grinding sound of engines again and assumed that that was the way the Doctor traveled.

She smiled to herself and heading out of the workshop herself, heading home for the first time in a week.

It was two months later when the girl heard the familiar sounds of the engines. She ran outside hoping to catch a glimpse of the Doctor once more. She was a blue box materialize and a man and girl step out. The man looked completely different than the Doctor she had met not too long ago and she almost believed that he wasn't the same man. It wasn't until she saw his eyes that she knew he was indeed the man she met two months ago.

She looked the man over. He was wearing a dark purple shirt with a leather jacket over top. He had very big ears. Next to him was a blond girl. She noticed the young girl looking at them and walked up to her, dragging the Doctor along.

"Hi, I'm Rose, and this is the Doctor. Is there something we can help you with?" the blond girl introduced herself.

It took a moment before the young girl shook her head. "No, sorry. I thought I had heard a friend of mine, and I was hoping that we could go on an adventure together. But I don't think it's quite time yet."

Rose was about to say something back when the girl turned her head to look back at the building that she had come from.

"I'm sorry, I have to go. It was nice to meet you."

Rose smiled. "It was a pleasure."

The small girl ran into the building. But the whole time she couldn't shake a certain thought.

A thought that one day, she would be the one to cause the Doctor the sadness that he had the day they met.


End file.
